One Way Ticket

The 1920’s better known as the roaring twenties was a period of dramatic social, and political change. Throughout history the roaring twenties was the first time most Americans lived in cities than farms. After the years of World War I this was a period where America and the public wanted to separate themselves from other parts of the world, foreign countries .

As a whole, the 1920’s was a symbol for social rebellion. Prior to the 1920’s, women were conservative in regards to how they dressed; most never showed any ankles or anything scandalous. During this time period, women began to now change. After watching several actresses in theaters act in movies, women began to act like the actresses that they watched. These women, called “Flappers,” drank, smoked, and dressed in what was scandalous back then. Women also rebelled against their traditional domestic roles. Before the 1920’s, women would just pretty much strictly stay at home or work in factories with poor conditions. During World War I though, women stepped up and had to work the higher paying jobs that the men worked, which opened many new doors to women. They now had jobs

The 1920’s, also known as the “Jazz Age” or the “Roaring Twenties”, was a time of decadence. The “Roaring Twenties” was common with constant variation in diplomatic, ethnic, and religious standards. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses The Great Gatsby as an account for the unstable time of egotistic pursuits of wealth and satisfaction.

Although the roaring twenties are usually thought of as a time of universal prosperity, the reality is that unless one was Caucasian and well-to-do, society tended to shun the outliers (women, minorities, etc), propelling them out of political affairs and social scenes. Women rebelled, becoming increasingly promiscuous as the decade wore on. In 1920, it would have been unheard of to show an ankle, sport a bob haircut, or darken one’s eyes with what seemed like paint. By 1928, the younger generation was revealed as socially progressive, engaging in previously unthinkable behavior such as smoking, drinking in bars, and sex. Flappers became prevalent, with their flouncy skirts and short hair adorned with a jeweled headband. The decade earned its second nickname, “The Jazz Age”, from the incredible musical talents that emerged out of Harlem and other areas of the United States, leading to a less “restrained” entertainment.

While the 1920’s seemed like an exciting time of new inventions, impactful social change, and exploration of new arts, under the surface reveals hardships such as racial injustice, oppression, and pure chaos. The 1920’s is referred to as many different names such as Flapper Era, Jazz Age, and the most well known one, The Roaring 20’s. The Roaring 20’s came to surface in the aftermath of World War I. From the rise of strong opinionated women, to an economic boom and crash, the Roaring 20’s was a captivating era in many ways. The shift between the two time periods, World War I and the 20’s, was a very dramatic change for America. The war had not only left Europe damaged, but it also motivated the political and economic changes in the US.

Jazz, an American music form, whose roots lay in African expression, made history. Such greats are remembered today from the Jazz age and among them are Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson. The talented George Gershwin, Cole Porter and many others brought the influence of jazz to the concert halls and to Broadway. Bessie Smith familiarized Americans with the Blues sound recording.

The 1920’s was a period of tension between two groups in a changing culture. On one side were those who believed the old ways should be stuck to, and on the other were those who wanted a reform in society towards a more modern lifestyle. This caused an ensuing tension between the groups, but eventually the younger generation prevailed. The 1920’s was a an important era because as two different cultures clashed they formed the new American Society. Before World War I, society was more old fashioned and while they had changed Government and corruption in those with power during the Progressive Era, they had not overall changed societal lifestyle.

The 20s was filled with bright means of entertainment such as flappers, prosperity was fresh in the air and the economy was booming. Progressivism was at its all time boom and companies, economy and inventions and even ideals all seemed to be cherishing this golden age, as well as entertainment industries. New inventions such as the refrigerator were beginning to make lifestyle for families much easier, some of this ease was placed on the shoulders of women. Young women were no longer keeping up with the roles and standards that were tightly binded pre- war times, and general youth was relabeling what the norm was, courting,

The beginning of this new jazz age sparked a time of immense change, changes that gave this decade a nickname known as “roaring”. Controversy between modernists and traditionalist was the beginning to a social war. The Nineteen Twenties were a turning point in society due to many reasons; those being social and cultural changes, new literature and authors emerging, and the economy on the brink of greatness.

Anything Goes: A Bibliography of the Roaring Twenties by Lucy Moore and The Modern Temper by Lynn Dumenil are two books that wonderfully captures the essence of the 1920s, with two different texts that hold a different point of view of the era to effectively highlight the important events and characters of the time. Moore focused on the icons that made up the decade, giving her subjective survey of the principal occurrences and characters of the time that depicts The Roaring Twenties as the age of iconic events and people, of talismanic names and episodes that which she openly explores. She gives her perspective on the fascination of the 1920s rather than the catastrophes of it, which is exactly what Dumnil highlights in her own book. The

“The Roaring Twenties” most accurately depicts the 1920 era for three main reasons, the progression in politics, advancement in technology, and because of how the lifestyle was changing. Starting with the election of William G. Harding, to the invention of movies and the radio and finally with the creation of the flapper. The 1920s sure were roaring!

“The Roaring Twenties” was a good era for many people, although it did have it’s rough and difficult times.

The 1920’s also known as “The Roaring Twenties” went through may drastic changes. The roaring twenties are remembered as a time of great technological advancement, prosperity, and social change. Women started standing up for themselves, alcohol was being banned, and technology was getting more advanced. This was the decade after world war 1 ended. More americans were living in cities than on farms because of all the business that started up north.

The 1920’s in itself is perhaps the most definitive time period in American history. The period is bookended by the triumph of the Great War and the economic crisis of the Great Depression. The era, aptly nicknamed “The Jazz Age,” by author F. Scott Fitzgerald, brought changes for all people. The twenties followed the rise of black culture with the Harlem Renaissance, which spread jazz music to the nation. Women triumphed and continued to push the limits of their societal expectations after they finally received the right to vote with the 19th amendment.

The 1920s, often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, was a time of great change and a time of powerful enthusiasm in many areas of society. The world had just finished the biggest war in history, the First World War, and the United States was left almost unharmed by the war. The United States was able to experience a decade of peace and success following the war. During this decade, America became the wealthiest country in the world (Trueman, 2000). The people in the United States went through a colorful period during the twenties. However, at the same time the 1920s was also a very rebellious and difficult time for many. The culture of the 1920s has influenced the culture of America’s society today.